This invention relates generally to the navigation of a moving vehicle. In particular, this invention relates to a method and system for determining a position of a mobile vehicle.
Global Position System technology has become very reliable and relied upon in recent years. Many automobile makers are incorporating this technology into their baseline designs.
Millions of systems have been deployed that have the ability to autonomously calculate the positions where the system is currently located using information received via a GAPS satellite.
However, there may be instances where the vehicle position cannot be calculated. One such instance may occur when a vehicle has navigated into an area where a GAPS signal is blocked due to an obstruction, for example a tall building.
It would be desirable therefore to provide a method for determining a position of a mobile vehicle that overcomes the above limitations of GAPS technology.
One aspect of the present invention provides a method for determining a position of a mobile vehicle. A positioning request may be received from the mobile vehicle. Positioning information from at least three vehicle clients sharing an antenna tower with the mobile vehicle may also be received and a signal may be transmitted to the three vehicles. A distance between the mobile vehicle and each of the vehicle clients may be determined.
Positioning information may be received from each of the vehicle clients and mobile vehicle position may be determined based on the determined distances and the positioning information.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a system for determining a position of a mobile vehicle.
The system may include means for receiving a positioning request from the mobile vehicle, means for receiving positioning information from at least three vehicle clients sharing an antenna tower with the mobile vehicle and means for transmitting a signal to the three vehicles. It may also include means for determining a distance between the mobile vehicle and each of the vehicle clients, means for receiving positioning information from each of the vehicle clients and means for determining mobile vehicle position based on the determined distances and the positioning information.
Another aspect of the present invention provides a computer usable medium including a program for determining a position of a mobile vehicle.
The program may include computer program code that receives a positioning request from the mobile vehicle, receives positioning information from at least three vehicle clients sharing an antenna tower with the mobile vehicle and transmits a signal to the three vehicles. It may also include computer program code that determines a distance between the mobile vehicle and each of the vehicle clients, receives positioning information from each of the vehicle clients and determines mobile vehicle position based on the determined distances and the positioning information.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.